Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy 2011 Annual Report
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Transcript of Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy 2011 Annual Report
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Otaros Povrty Rducto Stratgy2011 Aual Rport
BReAkin he CCehe hiRD PROReSS RePOR
ontario.ca/breakingthecycle
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Mstrs Mssag
It is my privilege as the Minister of Children and Youth Services to lead Ontarios
Poverty Reduction Strategy and to present this annual report, which reects three
years of dedicated effort and commitment to reducing poverty in our provinceand building a stronger Ontario.
Certainly, there is a clear moral imperative for the Poverty Reduction Strategy.
It is the right thing to do. But there are critically important economic and social
imperatives as well. We will thrive and prosper as a province and as a society
when every child and youth has the opportunity to succeed and contribute to
their community. We cannot afford anything less. That is why we have chosen to
focus our efforts strategically on the needs of children and their families in the
rst ve years of the strategy in order to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty.
Of course, our efforts toward poverty reduction have taken place in a climate of considerable economic
uncertainty. There is no question that the economic downturn of the past few years has presented serious
challenges. Despite these challenges, we remain strongly committed to our Poverty Reduction Strategy and
we know it is making a difference.
The poverty rate for children in Ontario declined from 15.2 per cent in 2008 to 14.6 per cent in 2009, which
means 20,0001 children have moved out of poverty, due in part to our investments in children and families.
As well, the poverty rate for children living in deep poverty declined from 8.5 per cent in 2008 to 7.3 per cent
in 2009, meaning 34,000 children were lifted out of deep poverty. Poverty rates for children in single mom-led
families dropped most dramatically, from 43.2 per cent in 2008 to 35.2 per cent in 2009. It is important to note
that data from Statistics Canada lags by 18 months. This means statistics for our income-based indicators are
available for only the rst year of the strategy. However, these developments show that the Poverty Reduction
Strategy is already making a real difference in the lives of children and families in low-income circumstances.
Over the past three years, we have taken deliberate steps to help families hit hardest by the recession, while
continuing our substantial investments in children. Major initiatives like the Full-Day Kindergarten Program, the
Student Nutrition Program and Best Start Child and Family Centres provide opportunities for children to get
the best possible start, which increases their chances to succeed later in life. We have made key investments
to create jobs in Ontario and improve our social and economic infrastructure. At the same time, we are helping
families get back on their feet through increased nancial supports such as Ontario tax credits, an increased
minimum wage and the Ontario Child Benet, which remains a cornerstone of our Poverty Reduction Strategy.
Poverty reduction is everybodys business. I acknowledge, with respect and thanks, the tireless work being
done by thousands of individuals and organizations in communities across the province whose contribution is
making a difference every day for our most vulnerable citizens. I also thank the many Ontarians who took part
in the dialogues held throughout 2011. I can assure you that your insights and suggestions will do much to
inform our work as we move forward in 2012.
The Honourable Dr. Eric Hoskins
Minister of Children and Youth Services
1 The Poverty Reduction Strategy uses Statistics Canadas Low Income Measure (LIM50) fxed to a base year o 2008 to assess progress in reducing child poverty. For 2009, the LIM50 lines are determined by applying the Canada Consumer PriceIndex (CPI) ination rate to the base year. Under Statistics Canadas methodology or calculating the LIM, the number o kids in poverty would have been 393,000 versus 392 ,000. The result would be 19,000 kids lited out o poverty versus 20,000kids under Ontarios Poverty Reduction Strategy LIM methodology.
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Ontarios Poverty Reduction StrategyThe roots of poverty are complex and the task of reducing poverty in Ontario is multi-faceted and
challenging. Ontarios Poverty Reduction Strategy sets out a comprehensive plan to address the
needs of Ontarians and build structures necessary to break the cycle of poverty.
Ontario is focusing rst on children and their families, with the goal of reducing the number
of children living in poverty by 25 per cent over ve years. Our plan is about investing in the
potential of all Ontarians and we are putting programs and supports in place so each of us can
grow, succeed and contribute. It was developed with the goals of increasing opportunities and
reducing barriers.
A hr sho ha what th for th bst possb start f:
High-quality early learning and child care Opportunities for educational achievement and success in later life
Resources for families so they can support their childrens well-being
A Otaras sho ha th opportts a toos th to s:
Tax relief and reform
Access to jobs and a path out of unemployment
Fair minimum wages and fair working conditions
Stro oom a soa foatos ar rta to a prospros a hath Otaro:
Strong communities and community-based services
A not-for-prot sector that is valued and supported
Port affts a of s a port rto rqrs that a of s pa a ro. Th
Otaro ormt akows wth ratt th ma partrs as,orazatos a ommts aross th pro who ar mak a ffr r
a a hp to ah th oas of Otaros Port Rto Strat.
ontario.ca/breakingthecycle Breaking the CyCle | OtrOs POvrty rtO strtgy i
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BREAKING THE CYCLE:THE THIRD PROGRESS REPORTOtaros Port Rto Strat 2011 Aa Rport Hhhts
Ontarios Poverty Reduction Strategy was launched in December 2008 with the goal of reducing thenumber of children living in poverty by 25 per cent over ve years. We have focused our efforts primarily onchildren and families. But we have also taken steps to create opportunity for those most adversely affectedby the economic downturn, and build the economic and social foundations to achieve our long-term goalsto reduce poverty. Heres how Ontarians are beneting:
From 2008 to 2009, th rst ar of th Port Rto Strat, 20,000hr mo ot of port. Ths rprsts a ras of or for pr t th mbr of hr port.
Stror, hathr ks a fams
50,000 four- and ve-year olds in nearly 800 schools are getting an educational head start throughFull-Day Kindergarten, while their parents are saving up to $6,500 a year on child care.
Close to one million children and their families receive the Ontario Child Benet. Parents currently receiveup to $1,100 annually per child under 18, increasing to $1,310 in 2013.
130,000 kids will have access to preventive dental care through Healthy Smiles Ontario.
A provincewide network of Best Start Child and Family Centres is being developed to provide childrenand families with seamless and accessible family-centred programs and services in Ontario communities.
Child care is transferring to the Ministry of Education to enable a more integrated and modernizedapproach to the continuum of child care, early learning and education.
50,000 kids will benet from Ontarios new Mental Health and Addictions Strategy, which provides fasteraccess to high-quality services, identies and intervenes in kids mental health issues earlier, and closescritical service gaps for vulnerable kids and those in remote communities.
4,000 more Aboriginal children and youth will benet from funding to hire new Aboriginal mental healthand addictions workers who will provide culturally appropriate services.
Funding of $22.7 million for child well-being to First Nation communities for assessment, counsellingand other services to address social and community concerns.
School dropout rates are being lowered by as much as 70 per cent in targeted low-income communitiesthrough the Pathways to Education mentoring and tutoring program.
The Student Nutrition Program provides over 660,000 students with nutritious breakfasts, snacks and
lunches in 2010-11.
The Building Families and Supporting Youth To Be Successful Act, 2011 removes barriers so thatmore kids in the care of childrens aid societies can nd permanent families.
Port rats for s mom- hoshos ras from 43.2 pr t 2008 to 35.2 pr t 2009.
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Opportt for a
Ontarios rst comprehensive review of social assistance in 20 years is well underway, with the goal ofmaking social assistance more streamlined and coordinated and helping more people get into jobs.
Funding of $481 million through a new affordable housing agreement between the provincial and federalgovernments will build 1,000 new affordable housing units, renovate over 6,000 units and createover 5,000 jobs.
Funding of $5 million every year is helping tenants avoid eviction through the Provincial Rent Bank.
Important changes to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 will, if passed, cap rent increases andgive renters more stable housing costs.
Low-income families will be better able to meet their monthly costs of living through the new OntarioTrillium Benet, which combines the quarterly Ontario Sales Tax Credit, Ontario Energy and PropertyTax Credit and Northern Ontario Energy Credit into one monthly payment.
Ninety-three per cent of Ontarians received a permanent tax cut in 2010, averaging $355 per family,and 90,000 Ontarians were removed from the tax rolls altogether.
A new college and university tuition grant reduces average tuition for lower- and middle-income students
by as much as 30 per cent, helping to remove nancial barriers to postsecondary education.
TheAccessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Actis helping people with disabilities traditionallyamong the lowest-income groups in Ontario with opportunities to participate more fully in employmentand community life.
Since 2003, more than 50,000 skilled newcomers have been getting the training they need tosuccessfully enter their professions in Ontario through Bridge Training Programs.
Th mbr of hr hoshos that o ot affor two or
mor ssta tms has ropp to 8.7 pr t 2009, ow from12.5 pr t 2008.
Stror foatos or ommts
The Social Venture Exchange (SVX) is being launched to attract investment in organizations with a socialmission and help accelerate progress in reducing poverty.
The Partnership Project is building a partnership between government and not-for-prot organizations,so they can focus their resources to better deliver services to Ontarians.
A Social Innovation Summit was held in 2011 to bring business, government, academic and communityleaders together to explore better ways to unleash the potential of social enterprises, and to guide thedevelopment of social innovation policy.
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abl of Cotts
OnTARiOS POveRTy ReducTiOn STRATegy Pa
2011 AnnuAl RePORT HigHligHTS Pa
1. inTROducTiOn: THe FiRST THRee yeARS Pa 1
About the Poverty Reduction Strategy Page 1
Building our shared future Page 1
Engaging communities Page 2
Measuring progress: The Child and Youth Opportunity Wheel Page 3
Poverty reduction milestones Page 5
2. PROgReSS: Building On THe FOundATiOn Pa 6
Stronger, healthier kids and families Page 6
Opportunity for all Page 11
Stronger foundations in our communities Page 16
3. MeASuReS: indicATORS And OuTcOMeS Pa 18
About the indicators Page 18
Poverty reduction indicators Page 18
4. OuTlOOK: FOR 2012 Pa 25
Together we are making a difference Page 25
Moving forward Page 25
Conclusion Page 26
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Ontarios Poverty Reduction Strategy was launched
in 2008. This report shows our progress during the
rst three years.
About the Poverty Reduction Strategy
In 2007, following extensive consultations with a variety
of groups across the province, the McGuinty government
announced its commitment to set targets for poverty
reduction in Ontario. The rst Poverty Reduction Strategy
in Ontarios history was launched in December 2008.
Poverty reduction became law in Ontario in 2009.
Recognizing that poverty reduction is a long-term
provincial priority, the Poverty Reduction Act, 2009
requires the government to report annually on key
poverty indicators and develop a new strategy, through
consultation, every ve years. Our current goal is to
reduce child poverty by 25 per cent over ve years. Thus,
our focus in the rst ve years is on supporting children
and their families.
We know our initiatives are helping to reduce poverty.
We are making progress, even in difcult economic times:
Without the Poverty Reduction Strategy, the number
of children in poverty would be almost eight per cent
higher2.
We have seen a signicant shift of single-parent
families moving off social assistance from 42 per cent
of cases in 2002 down to 30 per cent in 2010.
As well, a single mom with a small child, working
full time at minimum wage and accessing all benets
has seen her take-home income increase by $10,600
(or 58 per cent) since 2003. This single mom and her
child are now able to live above the poverty line.
Building our shared future
During the rst three years of the Poverty Reduction
Strategy, we have witnessed one of the most dramatic
global economic downturns in generations.
In 2008, our government invested heavily to lessen the
impact of the recession on families by protecting and
creating jobs. Our indicators show the positive impact of
that decision. In 2009, the rst year of the strategy, we
have made real and measurable progress. We have made
progress on reducing the number of kids living in poverty,
and we accomplished this in a tough economic climate.
1. inRODUCiOnTHe FiRST THRee yeARS
Vision
Ontarios Poverty Reduction Strategy is guidedby the vision of a province where every person
has the opportunity to achieve his or her full
potential and contribute to and participate in
a prosperous and healthy Ontario.
Learn moreLearn more about Ontarios Poverty Reduction
Strategy at:
ontario.ca/breakingthecycle
2 The estimate was calculated by removing rom household income the various benefts associated with the Poverty Reduction Strategy that were received in 2009 and assessing the resulting income against the poverty line.
Growing up in poverty has a long-term
impact on a persons health and well-
being. Governments are concerned about
the growing cost o health care, but
investing upront to cut poverty rates wil
lead to better health outcomes in the
long run.
David McNeil, President,Registered Nurses Association of Ontario
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But we know there is much more to do. In these times
of signicant global change and uncertainty, we remain
committed to our Poverty Reduction Strategy.
We recognize that, while a strong economy is a
necessary foundation for poverty reduction, healthy
children and families, high-quality child care and
education, and strong, vibrant communities are,in turn, the foundation of a strong Ontario, both now
and in the future.
Poverty reduction is not only the right thing to do,
it is key to our economic future and to harnessing
the potential of people as our most important
provincial resource.
Engaging communities
When we began developing the Poverty Reduction
Strategy, we understood that it was important to
listen to communities, stakeholders, and those
with lived experience of being in poverty to help us
better understand the reality of poverty in Ontarios
communities.
In 201011, the Minister of Children and Youth Services
attended six roundtables across the province, as part
of our commitment to further engage people in theircommunities at the halfway point of the ve-year
strategy. The Minister listened to their advice and
had meaningful dialogues about how the strategy is
unfolding in individual communities.
The government continues to value the important
work being done in our communities and by dedicated
not-for-prot organizations in Ontario. We believe that
all Ontarians have a role to play in reducing poverty
and that is why engaging with communities across the
province remains an important part of implementing the
Poverty Reduction Strategy.
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Measuring Progress:The Child and Youth Opportunity Wheel
Understanding the impacts of poverty is more complex
than just measuring income levels.
In order to provide a more complete picture of poverty,
eight indicators are used to measure the impact of the
Poverty Reduction Strategy across a variety of dimensions.
The indicators are:
1. Birth Weights
2. School Readiness (Early Development Instrument)
3. Educational Progress (EQAO Score)
4. High School Graduation Rates
5. Low Income Measure
6. Depth of Poverty
7. Standard of Living (Ontarios Deprivation Index)
8. Ontario Housing Measure
For more information on the indicators, please see page 18.
The Child and Youth Opportunity Wheel provides a visual
summary of improvements over time in each of the eight
indicators. The inside circle represents the baseline data
starting at 2008 on all indicators. Spokes going out from
the centre measure progress for each year. Where a
spoke extends outwards past the inner circle, this means
outcomes have improved. The further the spoke is from the
circle, the larger the improvement. If a spoke falls inside the
circle, outcomes have deteriorated.
Due to an 18 month time lag in the way that Statistics
Canada measures many of these indicators, this years
report includes the rst available data showing the
impact of our Poverty Reduction Strategy. As such,
due to that same time lag, data is only available for
the rst year of our Strategy.
The frst lesson to be learned is that
a government commitment matched by
good policy can make a big dierence
in peoples lives.... In Ontario, child
poverty actually ell between 2008
and 2009, inching down rom 15.2%
to 14.6% using the provinces ownLow Income Measure.... In Alberta,
or example, child poverty soared by
25 per cent in the same period. Whats
the dierence? Ontario took concrete
action to reduce child poverty.
25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction
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Notes: * Reported on a three-year cycle. The next cycle for reporting will be in 2012.
** Educational Progress (EQAO) scores for 2010-11 were released in Summer 2011. Other 2010-11 data will be available in 2012.
*** There was a change in surveys that carry the deprivation questions, which may have had an effect on the results.
Caution should be exercised when interpreting the change between years.
Poverty Reduction Strategy Indicators
Progress made on each indicator for 2009-10 and 2010-11.
Data for Birth Weight and School Readiness will be
available in 2012.
2009-10
2008
2010-11
Available in 2012
The Child and Youth Opportunity Wheel
Source: Ontario Ministry o Children and Youth Services
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Poverty Reduction Milestones
2007
Premier McGuinty makes a commitment to introducepoverty reduction targets
The Ontario Child Benet (OCB) is introduced
A Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction Strategy
is established
2008
Public consultations are held, and Ontarios PovertyReduction Strategy is launched
OCB payments reach up to $600 per child annually, andthe Student Nutrition Program is expanded bothincreasing support to low-income families
2009
A Results Table is established to guide and monitorimplementation of the strategy
The historic Poverty Reduction Act, 2009 is passed The Ontario Budget 2009 announces major investments
in poverty reduction:
- The OCB phase-in schedule is accelerated bytwo years maximum annual payments are increasedto $1,100 annually per child under 18
- Maximum annual OCB payments will be furtherincreased to $1,310 per child by 2013
- More than $1.2 billion is invested in social andaffordable housing
- Rent bank funding is stabilized
Summer job opportunities for at-risk youth are more than
doubled as the Youth Opportunities Strategy is expanded After school programs are implemented across Ontario
in priority neighbourhoods
2010
The Ontario Budget 2010 includes investments inEmployment Standards Ofcers, child care stabilization,career retraining programs and increased access topostsecondary education, and tax reforms including apersonal income tax cut and tax credits related to the HST,property tax and energy costs
Minimum wage increases to $10.25
Comprehensive tax reforms are introduced in July alongwith signicant support for Ontarians, particularly thosewith low incomes
Full-Day Kindergarten is rolled out in nearly 600 schoolsacross the province for approximately 35,000 students
Healthy Smiles Ontario rolls out and is anticipated toprovide 130,000 children and youth with access to freedental care
The Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy is released
A Commission for the Review of Social Assistance inOntario is announced with the goal of improvingemployment outcomes, making social assistance easierto understand, improving fairness and removing barriers tonding a pathway out of poverty
2011
Full-Day Kindergarten expands to nearly 800 schools andapproximately 50,000 students
The Partnership Project report is released, providinga concrete plan on ways the government can be moreresponsive, supportive and accessible to not-for-protorganizations
Ontarios Comprehensive Mental Health and AddictionsStrategy is launched
$28.5 million in funding to Pathways to Education Canadais announced to support students from at-risk oreconomically disadvantaged communities
The Social Assistance Review begins, with a nal reporttargeted for June 2012
An agreement is reached between the provincial andfederal governments providing combined funding of$481 million under the Investment in Affordable Housingfor Ontario program that will create affordable housing andmore than 5,000 jobs for Ontarians
The timing of tax assistance is enhanced through theintroduction of the Ontario Trillium Benet for low- tomoderate-income households, starting in 2012, whichprovides more consistent, monthly payments
Key steps are taken to strengthen and support social
innovation, including hosting a Social Innovation Summitand preparations to launch a pilot Social Venture Exchange(SVX) designed to attract investment in the sector
One million dollars is provided to the Ontario Centres ofExcellence (OCE) to design and launch a new program tobring social enterprises together with industry and academicpartners to collaborate on health improvement, sustainabilityand the environment, poverty reduction and other issues
The Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulationis launched under the Accessibility for Ontarians withDisabilities Act, and will help remove barriers toemployment for persons with disabilities and helpemployers tap into a broader and more diverse workforce
The Housing Services Act, 2011, the legislative frameworkfor the Long-Term Affordable Housing Strategy, is passed
Amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 areintroduced that will, if passed, cap rent increases at amaximum of 2.5 per cent, providing certainty and stabilityin housing costs for over one million tenant households
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In 2011, we have continued to build on the initiatives
launched during years one and two of the strategy.
This report briey summarizes the key steps we
have taken during year three to help lift children and
their families out of poverty and create opportunity
for all Ontarians.
Stronger, Healthier Kids
and FamiliesIn order to lift children and their families out of poverty,
we have to ensure that all children have what they
need for the best possible start in life. A childs early
development is a strong predictor of success in school
and in later life. The investments we make now in
children and their families will be repaid many times
over, across many generations, and contribute to a
stronger economic and social future for all Ontarians.
Year three highlights
Full-Day Kindergarten: Many studies have shown
that full-day learning programs for four- and ve-
year-olds have a positive impact on academic, social
and emotional development. This gives children a
better chance of nishing high school, going on to
postsecondary education and getting a good job.
In fact, research indicates that every dollar invested
in early learning repays a seven-to-one return on
investment. In 2011, Full-Day Kindergarten expanded toreach approximately 50,000 four- and ve-year-olds in
nearly 800 schools. This will further expand to 120,000
students in 201213, and the program will be fully
implemented by September 2014, beneting 250,000
students. Full-Day Kindergarten saves working parents
up to $6,500 a year per child on child care and allows
for greater employment opportunities.
Best Start Child and Family Centres: Throughout the
winter of 2010, the Minister of Children and Youth Services
along with Early Learning Advisor Dr. Charles Pascalconsulted with parents, service providers and experts on
developing an integrated child and family services system
through the Ontario Best Start initiative. The goal is to
provide seamless, accessible family-centred programs
and services in Ontario communities. Important next steps
include learning from communities that have successfully
integrated services through community action research,
monitoring the seven speech and language services
demonstration sites to evaluate different integrated service
delivery models, and developing an outcomes index to
monitor and measure outcomes effectively.
Mental Health and Addictions Strategy: A cross-
government Comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions
Strategy was introduced in June 2011. The strategy,
focusing on children and youth in the rst three years,
will provide fast access to high-quality service, identify
and intervene in kids mental health issues early, and
close critical service gaps for vulnerable kids and those in
remote communities. These steps help put kids back on
track, leading to better health outcomes, improved school
attendance and achievement, enhanced participation in
the workforce and cost savings to the health and social
services systems. Ontarios investments will benet more
than 50,000 kids and their families each year, and will grow
to $93 million a year by 201314.
Pathways to Education: We know that kids who drop
out of school are at higher risk of poor outcomes. In June
2011, the government announced new funding of $28.5
million over three years for Pathways to Education Canada
to expand educational success programs for students from
low-income communities in Ottawa, Kitchener, Hamilton,
Kingston and Toronto. By providing mentoring, tutoring
and nancial support to students in Grades 9 through
12, Pathways has already achieved signicant results for
students. For example, in Torontos Regent Park, the high
school graduation rate rose to 81 per cent in the rst year
of the program, as compared with 20 per cent the previous
year, and dropout rates have decreased by 70 per cent.
2. PROReSSBuilding On THe FOundATiOn
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Helping More Kids Find Permanent Homes:
The Building Families and Supporting Youth To Be
Successful Act, 2011 removes barriers so that more kids
in the care of childrens aid societies can nd permanent
families. Children and youth in permanent homes are
more likely to graduate and hold a job and less likely to
rely on social services or be in conict with the law. Older
youth whose care ended at ages 16 or 17 are now able toreturn to their childrens aid societies and receive nancial
and other supports until age 21. More than 10,000
children and youth in care also benet from the Ontario
Child Benet Equivalent initiative.
Additional 2011 milestones
High-quality early learning and child care:
Safe, high-quality and affordable child care is critically
important to the well-being of low-income families.
Ontarios investments help parents access child care,allowing them to play an active role in the labour force
while giving their kids the essential skills they need for
success in school.
The responsibility for child care is transferred to the
Ministry of Education to provide a more integrated
approach to the continuum of child care, early learning
and education. Since 2003, Ontarios commitment to
child care funding has increased from $532.4 million to
$869 million, an increase of 63 per cent. Additionally, in
2010, Ontario committed to permanently ll the gap leftby the federal government with an investment of $63.5
million per year. Through Ontarios investments, nearly
43,000 more children are receiving fee subsidies every
year. Licensed child care capacity has grown by nearly
80,000 spaces since 2003. We are committed to
working with our partners to modernize Ontarios child
care system.
In the 201011 school year, 475,000 child visits are
made to Parenting and Family Literacy Centres in
elementary schools. The program, focusing on optimal
child development and early literacy and numeracy
skills, expands to 10 additional sites in fall 2011,
bringing the total to 155 centres in 17 school boards.
Opportunities for educational achievement andsuccess in later life:
In todays knowledge economy, high school graduation
and further postsecondary education or training are more
essential than ever for success in later life. Having
an educated workforce is also a key driver of Ontarios
economic prosperity. It is essential that we provide
students and parents with strong and targeted supports to
help ensure equitable access to educational opportunities
and improved chances for graduation and educational
achievement.
To ensure equitable access to educational
opportunities, a guideline for student fees is
established to ensure that all students have a right to
access the learning materials or activities required for
a particular grade or course, regardless of their
parents nancial situation.
In 2011, 113 priority schools receive Parents
Reaching Out (PRO) grants to improve and support
parent engagement. Student achievement improves
when parents play an active role in their childrenseducation, and good schools become even better
schools when parents are involved.
Enrolment in career-oriented Specialist High Skills
Major secondary school programs grows to 34,000
students participating in more than 1,300 programs in
630 schools, and is contributing to the continued
increase in provincial graduation rates and preparing
more students for success after high school.
The After School Program reaches 18,000 children and
youth at 327 sites across Ontario, offering access to
safe, healthy and positive after-school activities that
improve opportunities for children and youth to be
more physically active, learn about healthy living,
develop resiliency skills and lead healthier lives.
Improving mental health supports
or children and youth represents our
best chance to make a lie-changing
dierence now and or years to come.
Dr. Ian Manion,Executive Director,
Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child andYouth Mental Health
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The Focus on Youth program continues to provide
high-quality summer program opportunities for more
than 26,000 children and youth in four inner-city areas
across Ontario. Youth from these communities benet
from learning, leadership, resiliency, self-condence
and employment opportunities.
A Summer Literacy Pilot Program for elementary
children, including many from low-income
communities, is conducted in the summer to help
inform how best to support students with limited
literacy skills and lessen the effects of learning loss
during the summer.
Funding for the Access to Opportunities Strategy
supports new programming to reduce the
achievement gap and help under-represented groups
succeed in postsecondary education.
An evaluation of the Youth Challenge Fund shows
positive change among participating at-risk youth.
Funding for 17 long-term legacy initiatives will
continue until 2013 so that targeted youth gain
valuable training and work experience and contribute
in positive ways to their communities.
Making a Difference
The Ontario Child Beneft
Introduced in 2007, the Ontario Child Benet
is a crucial foundation of our plan to reducepoverty and strengthen family security. It providessupport for one million children in almost530,000 low-income families every month. Byproviding the benet to working parents andthose on social assistance, it extends supportto parents who transition into the workforce andprovides incentives for Ontarians to pursue workopportunities.
Due in part to the introduction of the Ontario ChildBenet, we have seen the number of single-parentfamilies on social assistance drop from 42 per centin 2002 to 30 per cent today.
In July 2009, maximum payments increased from$50 to almost $92 per month for each child. Thatis an increase from a maximum of $600 per year toup to $1,100 per year for each child.
Our government will build on this record ofsupporting families by increasing the Ontario ChildBenet from $1,100 to $1,310 in 2013.
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Resources for families so they can support
their childrens well-being:
The care that children receive at home, along with
the inuence the family has on child development and
educational success, are key determinants of their
childrens future. Supports like the Ontario Child Benet
a cornerstone of the Poverty Reduction Strategy, enablelow-income families to support their children and
help them reach their highest potential, while easing
the transition from social assistance to employment.
These investments are essential if we are to close the
achievement gap and break the intergenerational cycle
of poverty.
The Eye See Eye Learn program is providing free
glasses for Junior Kindergarten students with vision
problems in 14 pilot school boards, as of September
2011, so that these children can benet fully from
their educational experience.
Healthy Smiles Ontario provides dental care for
children and youth from low-income families
provincewide through 36 Public Health Units.
This will benet 130,000 children and youth through
improved dental health and parents will save over
$400 annually in dental costs.
The Children In Need Of Treatment (CINOT) program
provides emergency dental care to 43,484 children
and youth in 201011 to improve their dental healthand overall wellness.
My son has always thought just getting
by was okay; that getting 50 per cent
was okay. He never had any aspirations
or urthering his education. Though we
always encouraged him and tried to buil
his sel-confdence, it was not until he
was in the Specialist High Skills Major
program that changes happened. Theprogram has given him something that
other school courses could not. It gave
him a realization that he could excel at
something and love doing it!
Ursula Russo, Parent of aSpecialist High Skills Major Student
Crown Ward Education Championship Teams, which
help those in the care of childrens aid societies
succeed in high school and pursue postsecondary
education and training, achieve provincewide coverage
in 2011.
The Aboriginal Postsecondary Education and Training
Policy Framework supports Aboriginal learners so they
can access, participate in and complete postsecondaryeducation and training opportunities.
More than 4,300 job placements are made available
during the summer of 2011 to youth in 33 Ontario
communities through the Summer Jobs for Youth
Program and Youth in Policing initiative, which provide
youth with positive work experiences and essential life
skills to prepare them for success in later life.
All o these investments will have the
eect o helping lit children out o
poverty, which in turn will dramatically
improve their chances o living longer,
and in better health.
2010 Annual Report of the
Chief Medical Ofcer of Health of Ontario
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The Student Nutrition Program provides over 660,000
students with nutritious breakfasts, snacks and
lunches in 201011 to contribute to their overall health
and readiness to learn and succeed in school.
The Aboriginal Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and
Child Nutrition Program serves approximately 26,000
clients, with a focus on supporting student successthrough healthy nutrition, assisting women in having
healthy pregnancies and supporting Aboriginal
families in raising healthy children.
Making a Difference
Student Nutrition ProgramThe healthy breakfast provided by Ministry ofChildren and Youth Services funding through theStudent Nutrition Program has had a measurabledifference in student success, especially in ourlowest income communities where as many as68 per cent of children and youth come to schoolwithout eating.
Research conducted by the Toronto District SchoolBoard in schools in the Jane and Finch communityover the past three years has shown that childrenthat eat breakfast regularly perform 9 to16 per centhigher on Education Quality and Accountability
Ofce (EQAO) tests in reading, writing and math.In high school, students that eat breakfast regularlyare on track for high school graduation, withremarkable differences seen in the standardizedGrade 9 math test. Students that eat breakfastregularly are 11 per cent more likely to achievethe provincial standard on the test than thosethat do not.
At both levels students reported their health hadimproved since the breakfast program began andthis is demonstrated in reduced absenteeismrates. Just as importantly, student suspensionrates decreased by 50 per cent in the two
years following the introduction of the breakfastprogram.
Catherine Parsonage, Executive DirectorToronto Foundation for Student Success
Making a Difference
Healthy Smiles Ontario
Our governments Healthy Smiles Ontario ishelping families by providing kids with free dentalcare in communities across the province. In
October 2010, an Ontario mom heard about theprogram for low-income children with no dentalinsurance. She contacted the public health unitand promptly enrolled her children.
The kids had dental examinations, x-rays and teethcleaning. Cavities were lled, and pit and ssuresealants were applied to protect their teeth. Nowcavity free, the children were also shown how tobrush and oss correctly to improve oral health habits that will help them throughout their lives.
Before Healthy Smiles Ontario, she could notafford to get proper dental treatment for her kids.Mom was grateful for the program, which helped
her family when they needed this importantsupport.
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Opportunity for allIn order to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty,
we are continuing our work to address the needs of
low-income Ontarians to help ensure that families
have a clear path out of poverty. Our focus has been
on removing barriers to success through a number ofconnected strategies: ensuring that basic needs such
as safe and affordable housing are being met, providing
access to jobs and job training, ensuring that wages and
working conditions are fair and equitable, and providing
tax relief and effective social assistance supports to
those in greatest need. By focusing our investments
strategically in the short term, we are helping more
Ontarians in the long term by reducing their reliance on
social services, and getting them into the workforce to
build a stronger economy.
Year three highlightsSocial Assistance Review: Ontario is undertaking the
rst major review of social assistance in over 20 years.
Ensuring that Ontarios social assistance programs are
effective, coordinated and easy to understand will help
low-income families support the success of their children,
while helping parents and other adults nd a path toemployment so they can be self-sufcient and contribute
to Ontarios economy. A sustainable system is also
important so that we can ensure that those individuals
who are unable to work receive reliable supports.
A Commission for the Review of Social Assistance
in Ontario is being led by two Commissioners, the
Honourable Frances Lankin, P.C., United Way Torontos
past president and CEO, and Dr. Munir Sheikh, Canadas
former chief statistician. The work of the Commission will
help Ontario develop an action plan that will make socialassistance:
more effective at getting people into jobs
easier to understand
work better with other federal, provincial and
municipal income security programs, such as
Employment Insurance
nancially sustainable.
In June 2011, the Commission released its public
discussion paper and workbook. The Commission will
integrate input from community conversations, stakeholde
meetings and numerous submissions with its research
ndings into a second paper to be released this winter.
A nal report will be submitted to the government in
June 2012.
Affordable Housing: Safe and affordable housing is
fundamental for Ontarians striving to build a strong future
for their families and their communities. Through our Long
In a rapidly changing economy, people
need the right supports to get through
difcult times. The social assistance
system we have now is not doing the job
we want. The broad scope o this review
will get us where we need to go to reallyextend opportunity to everyone.
Gail Nyberg, Executive Director,Daily Bread Food Bank
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Term Affordable Housing Strategy, Ontario is working
to improve access to adequate, suitable and affordable
housing, so that families have a solid foundation on
which to secure employment, raise their children
and build strong communities. In November 2011,
the provincial and federal governments announced a
combined investment of $481 million through a new
affordable housing agreement. The Investment in
Affordable Housing for Ontario (IAH) program will build
1,000 new affordable housing units, renovate over
6,000 units and create more than 5,000 jobs. The IAH
program builds on the governments record of providing
more funding for affordable housing than any previous
government $2.5 billion for building and repairing
more than 270,000 units and providing 35,000 rent
supplements.
Support for Renters: Low-income families cannot
support the success of their children or full theirworking responsibilities in the absence of stable
housing. In December 2011, the government introduced
amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006,
that, if passed, would ensure that the Rent Increase
Guideline will never be higher than 2.5 per cent. For
tenants this means that rents are more affordable and
stable. Funding for the Provincial Rent Bank program
was stabilized in 2009 at $5 million per year and
reaches a total of $39.1 million in program funding as of
2011 to help prevent the eviction of tenants who have
experienced short-term rent arrears.
Postsecondary Opportunities: To keep
postsecondary education within the reach of all
Ontarians and build a strong educated workforce,
starting in 2012, we will reduce the average tuition by
30 per cent for full-time undergraduate students enrolled
in Ontarios public colleges and universities whose
families earn less than $160,000 per year. The new
grant will save families $1,600 per student in a university
or college degree program and $730 per student in
a college diploma or certicate program each yearand will be available for up to four years of a full-time
undergraduate program. In 201011, about 200,000
more students, including 60,000 more apprentices,
were learning than in 200203. College and university
enrolment has increased by 35 per cent since 2003.
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act:
People with disabilities are among the lowest income
demographics in Ontario. This represents considerable
loss of human potential for Ontarios economy. Four out
of ve accessibility standards have been implemented
in the province under theAccessibility for Ontarians with
Disabilities Act, which aims to achieve an accessible
Ontario by 2025. These standards will break down
barriers and allow persons with disabilities to more
fully participate in employment and community life.
For example, accessible transportation will allowindependent travel; accessible employment recruitment
Making a Difference
Supporting Families on Social Assistance:
In 2003, a single-parent family receiving socialassistance with two children aged ve and sevenwould have received an annualized after-taxincome of $17,060. As a result of new investments,
this same family would now receive an after-taxincome of $24,206 in 2011 an increase of $7,146,or 42 per cent.
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
$10,663
$13,972
$6,397
$10,234
$17,060
$24,206Income ($)
2003 2011
Tax Credits
and Other
Transfers
Ontario Works
and Ontario
Child Benet
Supporting Families: Ontario Works and Child Benefts
nnualized income 2003 and 2011 fo inle paen wih wo childen(ae 5 and 7)
oe:1) tax credi and oher ranfer include he anada hild tax
Bene, aional hild Bene supplemen, niveral hildare Bene, good and service tax redi, Onario
propery and ale ax credi, Onario nery and Properytax redi, Onario sale tax redi, and Onario sale taxtraniion Bene.
2) ncome are annualized a a he end of he calendar year hown.
3) the family annualized income increaed by $7,146 from2003 o 2011.
4) Onario hild Bene reular paymen bean in 2008,conolidain child bene from Onario Work.
source: Onario Miniry of Finance.
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Additional 2011 milestones
Tax relief and reform:
Ontarios Tax Plan for Jobs and Growth, announced in
2009, provides the province with a strong foundation to
grow our economy and create jobs. Achieving our poverty
reduction goals requires that we reduce the economicburden on low-income Ontarians so that they can provide
for their families with more money in their pockets and
successfully participate in the workforce. Tax relief
measures for people and businesses are helping to make
Ontarios tax system more competitive, attract investment
and create jobs.
Ninety-three per cent of Ontarians received a permanent
tax cut in 2010, averaging $355 per family, and 90,000
Ontarians were removed from the tax rolls altogether.
Permanent refundable credits provide a total of
$2.4 billion in annual assistance to millions of low- to
moderate-income Ontarians. The government
announced in its 2011 budget that low- to moderate-
income families and individuals will be better served by
a more streamlined and consistent tax credit that
combines the payments of three quarterly tax credits
into a single monthly payment. The new Ontario Trillium
Benet, which takes effect in July 2012, combines the
payments of:
Ontario Sales Tax Credit up to $265 annually insales tax relief for each adult and child.
Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit individuals
and families can get up to $917 annually in relief for
the sales tax on energy and property taxes. Seniors
can get up to $1,044 each year.
Northern Ontario Energy Credit northern residents
can get up to $132 a year for an individual or up to
$204 annually for a family to help with the higher
energy costs.
The Ontario Senior Homeowners Property Tax Grant,
introduced in 2009, provides grants of up to $500
a year to help low- to moderate-income senior
homeowners pay their property taxes. Over ve years,
the grant is expected to provide about $1 billion in
property tax relief to more than 600,000 seniors.
practices will enable access to jobs; and accessible
information will allow more independence in daily
activities. There has been a 35 per cent increase in
the number of students with disabilities accessing
postsecondary education since 2003. As well, a report
by the Martin Prosperity Institute found that accessibility
standards may help increase employment income by
$618 million over the next ve years.
Support for newcomers: We know that helping our
newcomers get settled and nd jobs is not only crucial
for their own well-being, but is an economic imperative
for Ontario. We have increased our support to the
Newcomer Settlement Program which helps over 80,000
newcomers each year get settled and connected with
community services, housing, language, employment
and job training. To ensure that newcomers have the
language skills they need for the workplace, we are
providing language training to 120,000 newcomers thisyear alone through school boards across the province.
Additionally, our Bridge Training Programs help
newcomers gain the skills they need to nd jobs in their
eld instead of in low-wage jobs that do not match their
international training and expertise. Since 2003, Ontario
has invested more than $183 million in over 240 bridge
training programs to help more than 50,000 skilled
newcomers get licensed and nd jobs in their eld
of expertise.
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The new online Ontario Benets Directory provides
a simple, easy and convenient point of access to
many provincial benet and tax credit programs.
Please visit www.Ontario.ca/BenetsDirectory for
more information.
Access to jobs and a path out of unemployment:
Through targeted investments, the Poverty Reduction
Strategy is helping individuals affected by the economic
downturn return to the workforce so they can provide
for their families. Our investments are breaking down
nancial barriers for Ontarians so they can further their
education or training and help build a stronger economy
Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)
enhancements announced in 2010 continue to reduce
nancial barriers to postsecondary education, making
a university or college education more accessible. The
number of students qualifying for OSAP has increased66 per cent since 2003.
A new Life After High School pilot program for
secondary school students is launched to remove
barriers and increase the number of students who
pursue postsecondary education and training.
More than 51,000 Ontarians have beneted from
the Second Career program from 2008 to 2011,
which helps laid-off workers retraining for a new
career in high demand sectors in Ontario.
The Ontario Bridging Participant Assistance Program
helps more than 700 participants cover education
costs such as tuition, books and equipment so
that new immigrants to Ontario with low incomes
can access the training they need to contribute fully
to the workforce.
More than 287 women participate in Women in Skilled
Trades and Information Technology Training Programs
to help them acquire the training and skills they need
to secure high-demand jobs with better pay, creatinga better future for themselves and their families.
427 women participate in the Employment Training
Program for Abused and At-Risk Women, improving
their chances for successful employment and
increasing their economic independence.
Making a Difference
Income or a Working Single Mother and Child:
2003 2011As a result of investments and the governmentsTax Plan for Jobs and Growth, a single mother withone child, working full time at minimum wage, andaccessing all available benets, is now above theLow Income Measure. This single mother wouldhave an annual after-tax income of $28,700 (or 104per cent of the Low Income Measure) as comparedwith an after-tax income of $18,100 in 2003, or 85per cent of the Low Income Measure.
0
6,000
12,000
18,000
24,000
30,000
$18,100 or (85% of LIM)
2003 LIM: $21,260
$28,700 or (104% of LIM)
2011 LIM: $27,550
2003 2011
GovernmentTransfers
Earnings
($)
oe:1) governmen ranfer include federal and provincial child
bene and ax credi. alo include he Onario saletax traniion Bene of $335 in 2011.
2) the 2011 LM i a foreca.
Childrens Activity Tax Credit for 2011, parents who
have children enrolled in eligible extracurricular
activities can get up to $51 for each child under
age 16. They can receive up to $102 for each child
with a disability under age 18. This credit is expected
to provide about $75 million in assistance to Ontario
families each year.
The Ontario Clean Energy Benet (OCEB) provides
over four million Ontarians with a 10 per cent reduction
on their hydro bills every month for the next ve years.
The OCEB took effect on January 1, 2011.
source: Onario Miniry of Finance.
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we have made Ontarios minimum wage the highest of
the Canadian provinces, we think it is important to
consider the best advice from business, labour leaders
and workers on future decisions.
Over 27,000 claims are resolved in 201011 by
Employment Standards Ofcers cases are initiated
sooner, helping to eliminate the backlog of claims. Notonly has this given Ontario workers the money that is
owed them in a timely fashion, but it also eliminates the
uncertainty and anxiety of waiting for months before
these issues are resolved.
Ontario commits to performing at least 1,800 workplace
inspections (including temporary help agencies) in
201112, to ensure that vulnerable workers enjoy the
same rights as other employees. Since 2004 we have
recovered more than $80 million for Ontario workers
through our inspections, claims and collections. We
have also added 80 new inspectors since 2009.
Over 40 inspections are completed under the
Employment Protection for Foreign Nationals Act,
to ensure that foreign nationals employed as live-in
caregivers are properly protected under Ontario law.
In summer 2011, the Ministry of Labour launched a
pilot program that resulted in an increase in proactive
inspections in sectors where there are vulnerable
workers.
Launched in 2010, Employment Ontarios
Employment Service assists 73,900 clients in its rst
year so that more Ontarians can nd employment.
Fair minimum wages and working conditions:
Wages and working conditions are critical employmentfactors for low-income Ontarians who depend on a fair
minimum wage and who are among the most vulnerable
to unfair or unsafe working conditions, as well as unfair
recruitment practices. Moving low-income Ontarians from
social assistance to employment depends on our ability to
ensure that all workers including temporary workers and
foreign nationals enjoy the benets of fair employment
standards, and that Ontarios workplaces observe and
uphold those standards for all employees.
In 2011, Ontarios minimum wage is the highest
among all the provinces in Canada. The minimum
wage was $6.85 per hour in 2003 and was increased
to $10.25 per hour in 2010, representing an increase
of 50 per cent. Going forward, our government will be
taking advice on the minimum wage from a committee
representing both business and workers. Now that
Making a Difference
Bridge Training Programs
After being laid off from the survival job he hadfound after arriving in Canada, Ziad Dorkhamdecided to join the medical laboratory technologybridge training program at Mohawk College.
Certication is a must in order to work as amedical laboratory technologist so I joinedthe Mohawk College Bridge Training Programwhich helped me to become a certied medicallaboratory technologist. They were a great helpin achieving my goal. The program was of greatbenet. They helped me get the new techniques
and procedures required for a medical labtechnologist in Canada. And they follow up withtheir graduates and help them in the interviewprocess.
After the program, Ziad found a job in his eld at ahealth care product manufacturer in Mississauga.
$6
$8
$10
$12
$6.85
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20102003 2011
$7.15$7.45
$7.75$8.00
$8.75
$9.50
$10.25 $10.25
Ontario General Minimum Wage Increases Since 2003
source: Onario Miniry of Labour.
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Stronger Foundationsin Our CommunitiesWe recognize that children, families and individuals
living in poverty are most effectively served by strong
communities, unied community-based services, and a
vibrant not-for-prot sector operating at the community
level. This ensures that services are delivered close tohome and in a way that is appropriate to the specic local
needs of Ontarians in communities across the province.
Year three highlightsPartnership Project: The Partnership Project is the
governments strategy to strengthen its partnership
with the not-for-prot sector and help not-for-prot
organizations focus their resources on serving Ontarians.
Since the strategys release in March 2011, the
government has moved to strengthen the sector, providea central contact point within government, reduce the
administrative burden, reinvigorate Ontarios volunteering
tradition and invest in social innovation. Ontarios not-
for-prot organizations provide important services to
families and help drive our economy, contributing close to
$50 billion annually and over one million jobs across the
province. A Partnership Grants Program was launched to
help strengthen the collaborative capacity of the not-for-
prot sector, and grants have been awarded to networks
and partnerships that will help not-for-prot organizations
provide services to our communities. The Next 10:
The Future of Volunteerism in Ontario conference was
held in December 2011 to devise new ways to support
volunteerism, as well as to mark the tenth anniversary of
the International Year of Volunteers.
Social Venture Exchange (SVX): The province provided
support for a SiG@MaRS feasibility study and pilot project
for the new social venture exchange or SVX. The SVX is a
regulated nancial market designed to assess and attract
sustainable nancing or investment capital for rms with
a social mission, including enterprising not-for-prot
organizations. The launch of the SVX is scheduled to take
place in early 2012, and will help strengthen Ontarios
social enterprise sector. The SVX has the potential to
channel new nancial capital into initiatives with socialand environmental benets, further helping to achieve the
aims of the Poverty Reduction Strategy.
Social Innovation Summit: The social enterprise sector
has signicant potential to help the province tackle key
issues, including poverty reduction. Sponsored by the
Ontario government in partnership with SiG@MaRS,
the Social Innovation Summit was held in May 2011,
and brought together over 200 businesses, government
ofcials, academics and community leaders to identify
better ways to unleash the potential of the socialinnovation sector. After the summit, the Ontario Social
Innovation Wiki was launched to engage social innovation
experts and practitioners in creating a social innovation
policy framework. As a result, a social innovation policy
paper was developed in July 2011 to support further
discussions about social innovation solutions for Ontario.
Additional 2011 milestones
Strong communities and community-based services:
Services are delivered most effectively when they are
tailored to community needs and offered close to home.
By supporting community-based organizations, we are
helping to ensure that low-income families get the help
they need where and when they need it and in a way
that will most directly support our key priority of raising
children out of poverty.
The Long-Term Aordable Housing
Strategy articulates the Provinces
recognition o the importance o strong
partnership and collaboration with
municipalities in the area o housing.
We look orward to continuing to work
with the Province on all the elements
that will make this strategy including
the groundbreaking move to begin to
consolidate housing and homelessness
programs to better serve Ontarians
a success.
David Rennie,Immediate Past President,
Ontario Municipal Social Services Association
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The Community Use of Schools Priority Schools
initiative, expands in 2011 to enable not-for-prot
groups to offer more affordable programming in
220 schools in high-need communities.
School boards begin implementing Facility Partnerships
policies based on the guideline released in 2010 to
support collaborative school and community partnerships.
In July 2011, Infrastructure Ontarios Loan Program
expands to include community health and social
services hubs, Aboriginal Health Access Centres
and not-for-prot sports and recreation organizations
in Ontario.
Seven Community Health Centres receive ministry
approval to expand their facilities, which will help
reduce barriers to health and health services created
by poverty, language, geography and culture.
A not-for-prot sector that is valued and supported:
The not-for-prot sector has always played, and continues
to play, a vital role in helping our most vulnerable
population nd a path out of poverty. We are taking
signicant steps to remove barriers to success for socialenterprises and to build partnerships that will support and
enhance their important work.
Preparation gets underway for theNot-For-Prot
Corporations Act, 2010 which will come into force in
2012 and benet a wide variety of organizations
including those that provide services and resources
for the needy, such as food, housing and employment
assistance.
Funding for the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE)
is announced to support 12 to 15 collaborative
projects involving industry, not-for-prot organizations
and academia in areas such as poverty reduction,
health improvement and environmental sustainability.
The OCE drives the commercialization of leading-edge
research across strategic market sectors to build the
economy of tomorrow and secure Ontarios andCanadas global competitiveness.
An OCE Social Innovation Student Competition is
announced to generate innovative ideas to solve social
and environmental problems and potentially result in
the launching of new social enterprises.
Making a Difference
Community Use o Schools Priority Schools
High quality, free after-school programmingoffered at the Near North District School Boardthrough collaboration with community partners
has contributed to improved student achievementand engagement. Participating children, youth andfamilies have had the opportunity to build strongrelationships with caring adults who deliver theseprograms. This in turn has resulted in greaterparticipation in other school and communityprograms.
Near North District School Board
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An important part of our Poverty Reduction Strategy
is setting targets and reporting on our progress. We
recognize that if you want to improve something, it
must rst be measured. Measuring progress will help
us understand where progress is being made and
inform decision-making.
About the indicators
Poverty reduction is a complex undertaking that requires
a broad, multi-faceted approach over time. Measuring
improvement similarly requires a comprehensive set of
indicators against which to measure progress.
A set of eight indicators was selected during the strategy
development process which, when taken together, provide
a reliable measure of the Poverty Reduction Strategys
impact. These eight indicators cover key aspects such as
income levels, education, health, housing and standard of
living. Our eight indicators are:
1. School Readiness
2. High School Graduation Rates
3. Educational Progress
4. Birth Weights
5. Low Income Measure (LIM)
6. Depth of Poverty
7. Standard of Living
8. Ontario Housing Measure
Statistics Canada data for our income-based indicators
lags by 18 months. That means this progress report
is the rst time we are able to report on the impact of
our investments on our Low Income Measure, Depth of
Poverty, Standard of Living and Ontario Housing Measure
indicators and this is only for the year 2009, the rst
year of the Poverty Reduction Strategy.
3. MeASUReSindicATORS And OuTcOMeS
Indicator 1: School Readiness
Children have a better chance to succeed as students
when they come to school ready to learn. They need to be
healthy. They need social and emotional competencies.
They need language, thinking and communications skills,
and the general knowledge to participate in and benet
from their educational experiences. This indicator is based
on the Early Development Instrument, a population-basedmeasure of childrens readiness to learn at school, taken
from a representative sample of children from across the
province.
Administered in Senior Kindergarten, it measures
childrens readiness to learn at school in ve areas:
physical health and well-being, social competence,
emotional maturity, language and cognitive development,
and general knowledge and communication skills.
As reported in previous annual progress reports, between
200709, 71.5 per cent of children surveyed showed no
vulnerabilities. This means that most children in Ontario
are doing well, but there are some who are vulnerable to
poorer outcomes and who may need additional supports
to learn at school.
The data supports the view that children who attended
Junior Kindergarten are more ready for school than
children who did not attend Junior Kindergarten. The data
is gathered from one-third of Ontario school boards each
year. As a result, it takes three years to cover the province.
The 200709 data represents our baseline; the next cycle
for reporting will be 20102012.
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0
20
40
60
80
100
68%71%
73% 75%77%
79%
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09
85%
Target
81%
2009-10
Indicator 2: High School Graduation Rates
In our knowledge- and skills-based economy, graduating
from high school is more important than ever before. Young
people with a secondary school diploma have improved
chances for a better job and more earning power throughout
their lives.
This indicator represents the percentage of high school
students who have earned an Ontario Secondary School
Diploma in each graduating year. Ontarios graduation
rate measures the percentage of a cohort of students who
graduate within ve years of having started Grade 9.
In the 200910 school year, the high school graduation rate
in Ontario increased to 81 per cent from 79 per cent in the
200809 school year. The graduation rate has increased
13 percentage points since 200304. This means that since200304, approximately 72,000 more students graduated
who would not have otherwise, had the rates remained at
the 200304 level.
Indicator 3: Educational Progress
Provincewide assessment is one important measure of
childrens progress in literacy and numeracy, and enables
us to pinpoint areas for improvement and to target support
to where it is needed most. This measure provides critically
important information on planning for student learning and
achievement.
This indicator is based on the Education Quality and
Accountability Ofce (EQAO) provincial assessment of
student achievement as measured against the learning
expectations in Ontarios curriculum. It reects the overall
results on the Grades 3 and 6 reading, writing and math
assessments.
In 201011, 69 per cent of Grade 3 and Grade 6 students
are meeting or exceeding the provincial standard on EQAO
assessments. This is up from our 200809 baseline of
67 per cent and represents a 15 percentage point increase
since 200203. This indicates more students have the
reading, writing and math skills that will lead to success in
high school, postsecondary education and the workforce.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
54%
58%
62%64%
63%65%
2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09
67%
2009-102002-03 2010-11
68% 69%
Percentage of Grade 3 and 6 Students Achieving Provincial
Standard of Level 3 or Higher in Reading, Writing and Math
(English and French-Language Schools)
Graduation Rates in Ontario
source: Onario Miniry of ducaion.
source: Onario Miniry of ducaion baed on QO daa.
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0
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Reading Writing Math
2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007
2007-2008 2009-20102008-2009
54%
61% 61%61% 61%62% 62%
58%
63%64%
65%66%
68%
71%
64%
67%68% 68%68%
70%71%
65%
74%
69%
2010-2011
Reading Writing Math
2003-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-2007
2007-2008 2009-20102008-2009
58%
63%64%64%
66%
70%
72%
55%
59%
62%61%
67%68%
71%
58%
61%61%60%
62%63%
61%
74%73%
59%
2010-2011
0
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
For the 201011 assessment year,
65 per cent of the Grade 3 students
in reading, 74 per cent in writing,
and 69 per cent in math were at or
above the provincial standard on
EQAO assessments. It should be
noted that the provincial standard
is a Level 3 or approximately a Bgrade.
For the 201011 assessment year,
74 per cent of the Grade 6 students
in reading, 73 per cent in writing and
59 per cent in math were at or
above the provincial standard on
EQAO assessments.
Compared with the results of eight
years ago, over 52,500 additional
Grade 3 and Grade 6 students are
meeting or exceeding the provincial
standard in reading, writing and
math.
Since 2003, the government
has reduced class sizes in the
primary grades, increased teacher
professional learning and raised the
graduation rate. Across Ontario,
400 new, publicly funded schools
have been built and another 170
are planned or underway. As
of September 2011, nearly 800
schools are offering the Full-Day
Kindergarten Program, beneting
50,000 kids. The program will
be fully implemented in 2014,
beneting approximately 250,000
children.
Students who achieve early success
in school are more likely to performwell later in school and go on to
postsecondary education. This
ensures that Ontario will have the
skilled workforce to compete in the
global economy.
Percentage of Grade 3 Students Achieving Provincial Standard of Level 3 or
Higher in Reading, Writing and Math (English and French-Language Schools)
Percentage of Grade 6 Students Achieving Provincial Standard of Level 3 or
Higher in Reading, Writing and Math (English and French-Language Schools)
source: Onario Miniry of ducaion baed on QO daa.
source: Onario Miniry of ducaion baed on QO daa.
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Indicator 5: Low Income Measure
The Poverty Reduction Strategy uses Statistics Canadas
Low Income Measure (LIM50) xed to a base year of 2008
to assess progress in reducing child poverty. The LIM50
is dened as the percentage of children under 18 living ina household with an income less than 50 per cent of the
median adjusted household income. For 2009, the LIM50
lines are determined by applying the Canada Consumer
Price Index ination rate to the base year LIMs. The lines
for 2008 and 2009 are presented below. For 2009, the
LIM50 line for a single parent with one child was $26,348
and for a two-parent, two-child household was $37,262.
Fixed Low Income Measure Lines (LIM50)
Household Size 2008 2009
1 person $18,582 $18,631
2 persons $26,279 $26,348
3 persons $32,185 $32,270
4 persons $37,164 $37,262
5 persons $41,551 $41,660
6 persons $45,516 $45,636
In 2009, 14.6 per cent of all children in Ontario were below
LIM50, down from 15.2 per cent in 2008. The number
of children below the LIM50 was 392,000 in 2009, down20,000 from 412,000 in 20084.
The goal of the Poverty Reduction Strategy is to reduce
the number of children living in poverty by 25 per cent
over ve years. In 2009, a recession year and the rst
year of implementation, the Poverty Reduction Strategy
lifted 20,000 children out of poverty and moved us closer
toward our goal.
Government transfers have an immediate and direct
impact on poverty. The two programs having the
largest impact on poverty in 2009 were the Ontario
Child Benet and Employment Insurance benets. The
average amount of provincial childrens benets (which
includes the Ontario Child Benet and the Ontario Child
Care Supplement) going to the poorest fth of Ontario
households with children increased by $800 from 2008 to
2009. This was due to the introduction of monthly Ontario
Child Benet payments in 2008 and its accelerated
phase-in in 2009. Average employment insurance benets
to the poorest fth of Ontario households with children
also increased by about $800 in 2009.
3 Source: BORN ONTARIO (Niday Perinatal Database)4 Under Statistics Canadas methodology or calculating the LIM, the number o kids in poverty would have been 393,000 versus 39 2,000. The result would be 19,000 kids lited out o poverty versus 20,000 kids under Ontarios Poverty Reduction StrategyLIM methodology.
0
5
10
15
20
15.2%
2008 2009
14.6%
Per cent of Ontario Children Below LIM50
souce: Onaio Mini of Finance baed on saiic anada, sue of Labou and ncome namic
Indicator 4: Birth Weights
Healthy children have more opportunity to succeed
in virtually every aspect of life from early childhood to
adulthood.
This indicator represents the percentage of newbornsborn at a healthy weight for their gestational age.
Research indicates that babies born to low-income
families more often have below normal birth weights,
which can put them at a higher risk for poor future health
outcomes. In 200709, 80 per cent of Ontario-born babies
were born at a healthy weight3.
This represents our baseline for future reporting and will
be updated in 2012.
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0
2
4
6
8
10
8.5%
2008 2009
7.3%
Indicator 6: Depth of Poverty
Some families living in deep poverty face severe
challenges breaking the cycle of poverty and building
better futures for their children. The depth of poverty
indicator tells us how Ontarios Poverty ReductionStrategy is improving the well-being of those living in
deep poverty in our society.
This indicator is based on the Low Income Measure (LIM40)
xed to a base year of 2008. This represents the percentage
of children under 18 living in a household with an income less
than 40 per cent of the median adjusted household income
in 2008. For 2009, the LIM40 thresholds are determined by
applying the Consumer Price Index ination rate to the 2008
lines. Based on this measure, 196,000 children or 7.3 per
cent of all children in Ontario were in deep poverty in 2009,
down from 230,000 or 8.5 per cent in 2008. From 2008 to
2009, 34,000 children were lifted out of deep poverty.
Indicator 7: Standard of Living
Income-based indicators are one set of tools used to assess
the well-being of Ontario families and measure the number
of poor children in the province. They are indirect measures
of poverty based on the assumption that families that do
not have sufcient income cannot afford to purchase some
basic necessities. This assumption may not always be a
valid one because there are in-kind services such as rent
and child care subsidies that help raise the standard of living
of some low-income families higher than is suggested by
their incomes. On the other hand, the high cost of living
in certain areas of the province, or special circumstances
that some families face such as disabilities requiring extra
expenses, may mean that an income above the poverty line
is not enough to keep the family out of poverty.
The Ontario Deprivation Index is a measure of poverty thatavoids these problems by asking families directly whether
they can afford certain necessities that most Ontario
families can afford and take for granted. It reects the real
life experiences of low-income Ontarians and captures
dimensions of poverty that income alone does not social
exclusion, for example.
This indicator is a measure developed for the Poverty
Reduction Strategy by the Caledon Institute and the Daily
Bread Food Bank, in partnership with Statistics Canada
and the Ontario government. The Ontario Deprivation
Index measure identies a family as being deprived if it
cannot afford two or more items out of a list of 10 5. For
example, the index includes questions such as, Are you
able to get dental care if needed? and Do you eat fresh
fruit and vegetables every day?
In 2009, 8.7 per cent of children were in Ontario
households that lacked two or more items. This is down
substantially from 12.5 per cent in 2008. The indicator is
moving in the same direction as the two income based
LIM measures, suggesting that the Poverty Reduction
Strategy is having a real impact on the lives of childrenfrom low-income circumstances in Ontario.
It should be noted that the deprivation questions were
moved from a Labour Force Survey supplement for the
2008 data to the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics
for 2009, however the questions remained the same6.
5 For more inormation, please see Developing a Deprivation Index: The Research Process, available at www.dailybread.ca and www.caledoninst.org.6 For the frst year (2008), the deprivation questions were a s upplement to Statistics Canadas Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS supplement had a number o limitations as a vehicle or the deprivation questions; in particular income inormation is based osurvey respondents retrospective estimate rather than tax fler inormation. The questions are now part o the main income survey, Survey o Labour Income Dynamics, or SLID. The SLID provides reliable income results, beore and ater tax and by source anmuch richer socio-demographic detail. The SLID is also a longitudinal survey so there is a potential to better understand the dynamics o deprivation and poverty.
Depth of Proverty Measure:
Per cent of Ontario Children Below LIM40
souce: Onaio Mini of Finance baed on saiic anada, sue of Labou and ncome namic
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4%
5%
6%
7%
2003
75,552
4.9%
2004 2005
99,081
6.5%
100,769
6.5%
2006 2007
82,510
5.4%
84,382
5.4%
69,318
4.6%
2008
76,563
5.0%
2009
Indicator 8: Ontario Housing Measure
Children have better chances to thrive and grow
emotionally, mentally and academically when they live in
safe, stable housing. This measure tells us how many low-
income households with children have housing costs that
are disproportionately high relative to household income,
which can affect childrens ability to thrive and grow even in
a supportive environment.
The Ontario Housing Measure lays out the percentage of
households with children under 18 that have incomes below
40 per cent of the median household income (LIM40) and
spend more than 40 per cent of their income on housing.
In 2009, the perc